Paper Authors

Patricia Fox
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Pat Fox is Associate Dean in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI. She is the school’s chief fiscal officer, and teaches courses in ethical decision-making. Pat is also co-director of the school’s international, interdisciplinary teaching and research initiative, GO GREEN, which emphasizes sustainable development. With H. Oner Yurtseven, she conducts annual ASEE-sponsored salary surveys on engineering and technology faculty compensation. Pat has been active in numerous leadership positions within ASEE.

Stephen Hundley
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Stephen Hundley is Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI. He teaches courses in leadership development, human resource management, and organizational research. Stephen is also co-director of the school’s international, interdisciplinary teaching and research initiative, GO GREEN, which emphasizes sustainable development. He is author of a book entitled Workforce Engagement: Strategies to Recruit, Retain, Reward, and Retain Talent, and maintains an active applied professional consulting practice where he assists organizations on their workforce matters.

James Johnson
Indiana University

James Johnson is a graduate student pursuing his Master’s of Public Affairs from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, where he is concentrating in economic development. Prior to pursuing a graduate degree, he worked for the State of Indiana in the Department of Commerce. James has a research interest on the relationship between workforce development activities and economic development outcomes.

H. Oner Yurtseven
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

H. Oner Yurtseven is Dean in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI. As the school’s chief executive officer, he oversees program and faculty development, strategic planning, industry relations, research, and fundraising activities. With Pat Fox, he conducts annual ASEE-sponsored salary surveys on engineering and technology faculty compensation. Dean Yurtseven has been active in ASEE for many years, regularly attending and participating in conferences and events.

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Attracting, Retaining, and Engaging Faculty:
Trends in Engineering and Technology

Abstract

Finding, keeping, and motivating engineering and technology faculty is of paramount
concern as U.S. institutions seek to fulfill their teaching, research, and service missions. This
paper identifies compensation issues and other faculty opportunities and challenges, drawn from
longstanding ASEE-sponsored salary surveys and other national studies on workforce
engagement. Issues and trends in engineering and technology faculty roles and rewards are
identified; ways to attract, retain, and motivate faculty are addressed; strategies to develop and
enhance faculty capabilities are profiled; and the linkages between faculty work and the broader
economic development climate and initiatives of the institution and surrounding community are
discussed. Implications and considerations for engineering and technology faculty,
administrators, policymakers, and other stakeholders are highlighted.

Introduction

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, engineers (in all disciplines) held
approximately 1.5 million jobs in the U.S. 2002 (the most recent year for which employment
figures are available), while workers in the broad technology field held approximately 2.6
million jobs (including positions such as engineering technologists, computer systems analysts,
database administrators, computer scientists, computer programmers, computer software
engineers, and computer and information systems managers).

The need for a prepared, productive, and engaged engineering/technology workforce is
well documented.1,2 Additionally, there is tremendous evidence to suggest that organizations
that invest in their human capital – through explicit, employee-centered policies, practices,
cultures, and approaches – tend to outperform rival firms.3,4,5,6 Institutions of higher education
face a daunting task in attracting, retaining, and engaging faculty, primarily because of the
competition for talent that exists in the broader employment marketplace.

The Context of Faculty Opportunities and Challenges

Any discussion of compensation, reward, and recognition issues in higher education must
acknowledge the context in which faculty work continues to evolve. The American
postsecondary system – including two- and four-year campuses; public- and private institutions –
has been in a state of flux caused by many changes in the internal and external environments and
rapid growth for nearly a half century. Most engineering/technology administrators and faculty
leaders widely acknowledge that four main factors have been particularly critical in stimulating
higher education institutions to rethink how they deliver educational services: demographic
changes; increased demands for accountability; heightened expectations; and greater
competition.